'My son was failed over special education plan wait'

The family was forced to wait more than a year for a council action plan

The mother of a 15-year-old boy with special educational needs said the family have been "failed" by a council after he missed more than a year of school due to a wait for a care plan.

Her son has ADHD, autism and other learning difficulties and had to wait 12 months for an education, health and care plan (EHCP), which should have been issued within 20 weeks.

The Lancashire family, who wish to remain anonymous, also believe if he had received extra support in school it would have helped him to stay in mainstream education.

Lancashire County Council said individual cases were complex and "can contribute towards delays when combined with demand and capacity issues".

An EHCP is for children and young people aged up to the age of 25 who need more support than is available through the usual special educational needs support.

The mother and son, from Lancashire, said they feel failed by the system

It sets out exactly what extra support they need and should be issued by a council within 20 weeks, but the latest government figures show thousands are waiting longer than they should.

Latest data showed there are 13,006 people with an EHCP in north-west England, but only 7,379 were issued within the required timeframe.

"You feel like no one is listening to you," the mother said.

"I begged and begged for an educational psychologist to go into the school before it got to the stage where my son was out of school.

"Every child matters and everyone deserves the right for an education that is right for them and that is where I think we've been failed."

Their case was recently highlighted in Parliament by West Lancashire MP Ashley Dalton

The teenager currently receives nine hours of tutoring a week at home, but he said he is worried about his future.

"It's hard, especially now I've been out of school a long time," he said.

"It makes it even harder for me to go back, but it also comes with a lot of disadvantages for me, especially socially."

Lancashire County Council said the family received an EHCP on 14 November, after applying in October last year.

A statement said: "We deeply value every child's unique needs and are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), can thrive.

"Nationally, there is a huge increase in the number of children seeking SEND support along with a growing demand.

"Cases often tend to be complex, which can contribute towards delays when combined with demand and capacity issues.

"This is a challenge that local authorities up and down the country are facing."

In the budget in October the government revealed £1bn additional funding for SEND support.

The Department for Education said: "We are determined to rebuild families’ confidence in a system so many rely on.

"The reform families are crying out for will take time, but with a greater focus on mainstream inclusion and more early intervention, we will deliver the change that is so desperately needed.”